The following paragraphs are provided by way of background to the present disclosure. They are not however an admission that anything discussed therein is prior art or part of the knowledge of persons skilled in the art.
The present disclosure relates generally to compositions and methods for the prevention and treatment of anxiety conditions associated with the use of cannabis. 
Cannabis, also commonly known as marijuana, is a preparation obtainable from the stems, leaves or dried flower buds of Cannabis sativa plants, and has long been used as a psychoactive medicinal drug, as well as for recreational purposes. In many jurisdictions, the use of medicinal cannabis by persons with a debilitating medical condition is permitted, and the use of cannabis as a medicament for the treatment of, for example, pain, nausea, AIDS-related weight loss and wasting, and multiple sclerosis is well known.
The primary psychoactive component of cannabis is a chemical compound known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of numerous related chemical compounds belonging to the cannabinoid class of compounds found in plants belonging to the genus Cannabis. Other cannabinoid compounds include, for example, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV). Some cannabinoids can be converted by the body, and once converted, mediate a psychoactive effect. Thus, for example, the cannabinoid Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol can be metabolized to the derivative 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, a more potent metabolite, which can readily cross the blood-brain barrier.
It is known that cannabinoid receptor proteins located in the brain mediate several important psychophysiological processes, including pain sensation, memory, mood and appetite. By interacting with cannabinoid receptor proteins, cannabinoid compounds modulate the function of cannabinoid receptors, as well as the psychophysiological processes that depend on these receptors.
One significant drawback associated with the use of cannabis is the commonly experienced side effect of a sensation of anxiety, which in certain instances, can be of such severity that hospitalization is necessary. Cannabis-induced anxiety has been reported regardless of the route of administration of the drug. Thus, inhalation, ingestion, sublingual, and buccal administration of cannabis all can lead to anxiolytic conditions. However, these conditions are typically most pronounced and least predictable when cannabis is ingested. This is generally attributable to the fact that the half-life of THC is substantially longer when cannabis is consumed orally than when THC is delivered via inhalation or other routes that bypass intestinal or hepatic degradation. Thus, peak blood plasma levels of THC are typically attained in 3-10 minutes from the time when cannabis is inhaled. By contrast, when cannabis is ingested, a maximum blood plasma THC concentration is typically reached in 1-2 hours. Typically, patients and individuals who are naïve to cannabis use and drug effects are at the most significant risk of the cascading effects of anxiety and can experience a lack of control of how long the anxiolytic condition will last. Thus, it will be clear from the foregoing that considerable drawbacks associated with the use of cannabis remain.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for method to ameliorate the anxiety effects associated with the use of cannabis. 